A Warm Embrace
by brokenunicorn
Summary: AKA 3 Times Thor locked Bruce in an embrace and one time Bruce hugged him first.


So hey guys this is new, isnt it! Ive never done a non-Loki pairing before but a watcher on dA requested it of me and I couldnt say no! The prompt was for Thor/Bruce and it had to be about hugging and how Bruce was unused to getting hugged very often. So, Hope you enjoy! :D I own nothing!

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AKA 3 Times Thor locked Bruce in an embrace and one time Bruce hugged him first.

Bruce was a fairly reserved person. Having to work to keep your heart rate down all the time does that to you, you know? He loved working with the Avengers, because they saw him as more than a threat, they were his colleagues, and his friends. But sometimes, the most appealing thing to his introverted nature was to wake up before anyone else and sit in the kitchen with a mug of coffee and the newest edition of Scientific American. No-one to disturb his thought process, no reason to restrain his emotions. Just some nice, old fashioned time to himself.

But then the clock would hit 7.30 and his peaceful little world would be shattered.

At first it would be Steve, which wasn't so bad, he just passed through to pick up a banana on his way to the training room to knock out a few punching bags. The sound of his fists hitting the leather could actually be oddly soothing, sometimes. It didn't bother him too much, although the grunting did.

Then there was Clint and Natasha, the latter being the better half of the pair. Natasha would sit in silence herself, unless she turned on the news, but even then it was only quiet. Clint...Clint was a _talker_. Determined to create little conversations between everyone over the breakfast table, or make jokes, or laugh loudly at the comics from the newspaper. It grated on Bruce's nerves a little, but only when he was in a particularly bad mood.

Tony was the worst, but he never woke up until at least noon, and he was fine inside the lab, where he only talked about Science. Outside of it however...he liked to provoke the big guy, let's just leave it at that.

Then there was _Thor_.

Bruce had nothing against Thor, really. He was great. He was the most loveable person on their team with his inability to say no to people. Thor was always happy to answer his questions about Asgard, submit to testing, gave him blood to look at, demonstrate Mjolnirs power for scans, basically, he did everything that was asked of him. understand _anything_ he encountered, from television to the idea of pre-school. Bruce supposed growing up as a Prince, Thor and Loki had never really been exposed to mainstream schooling, if Asgard even had such a thing.

But he also had no grasp on the concept of personal space.

"Friend Banner! It is a glorious morning, is it not?" Thor beamed, holding Bruce off of his chair in a one armed hug. Bruce, startled, wrestled to be released from his arm whilst also maintaining a grip on his self control, taking long, slow breaths to slow his heart rate. He wasn't very used to people manhandling him, what with most people being afraid to be anywhere near him in case the other guy decided to come out and play. It was startling really to Bruce that his new team mates weren't afraid of that side of him. Well at least Tony and Thor weren't. He supposed Thor didn't really have reason to, the Hulk could barely injure him at all.

Bruce was unceremoniously dumped back in his chair, which wobbled dangerously backwards at the harsh treatment, and Thor moved onto his next target. Bruce, with his glasses skewed and his hair ruffled, picked up his newspaper, trying desperately to ignore the feelings he felt blossoming in his chest, unidentifiable to him.

Well that was new.

* * *

The battle had been a long and fierce one between the Avengers and the robots of Victor Von Doom. They were all tired, some injured, Clint heavily injured. They all just wanted to go back to the tower and rest, probably for a good few days, put their feet up, and eat enough to feed an army.

But the Hulk was yet to be subdued.

Bruce had been particularly on edge recently, what with their almost non-stop call outs leaving no time for relaxation or rest, which meant he couldn't get in the meditation time and sleep he so sorely needed to keep himself in check. He had felt the Hulk getting more and more impatient with being shut away inside him for days now, and today had been the last straw, such that when the battle died down and there were no more robots to smash...Hulk just kept smashing. Smashing cars and buildings and his team mates, the less durable of their group, Natasha, Clint and Tony to a certain extent, had retreated to a safe distance, watching as Captain America, and mainly Thor, attempted to draw Hulk away from more public areas to the open space of Central Park, and to keep his attentions focused on themselves. It hadn't been going well, Cap was bleeding heavily from a gash on his head from being thrown against a bank wall, and Thor was unwilling to even possibly hurt his companion. They were all getting a bit desperate, to say the least.

"Banner, stop this foolishness! We are your friends and your team mates. I know you are tired, we all are! But you are acting like a cranky child!" Thor's eyes widened as a light bulb flickered on in his head, and felt shamed it had taken him so long to think of this plan of action. As a child, in Asgard, Loki had always told him the best way to win a battle was to strategize, to face the situation as required, rather than to "blunder in with his pathetic hammer swinging like a buffoon". In this case, Hulk was his foe, and Hulk was essentially a very large toddler in a temper tantrum, much like his brother had been as a youngling.

And children having a tantrum just needed kindness and love, his mother used to say. _Your brother isn't really angry at you, Thor. He just needs to know he is loved._

Without word to the Captain, or warning to anyone else, Thor leapt towards the hulk, grasping him firmly around the middle in a tight hug, closing his eyes as he lay his head against the green midriff. The Hulk tried to shake him off, and pull him off, but he held fast, using Mjolnir to his advantage to stay his ground.

"You are loved, friend Banner. Come back to us. Do not be angry any more, for you are loved."

The Hulk stilled and began to shrink down to his less temperamental state, Thor appearing to get larger, in contrast, until he had his arms full of a swaying, Bruce Banner, thankfully still with some remnants of trousers around him. As his team watched on, befuddles, Thor swept the now unconscious man into his arms, pressing a light kiss to his forehead as he carried him away from the debris of destruction, and to his home, where he belonged.

"You are loved." He whispered again, holding the scientist closer.

* * *

"Thor! Thor put me down! Thor!" Bruce laughed good naturedly as the Thunder God lifted him from his spot on the sofa, dumping him on his lap once the deity was happily situated in the previously occupied spot. Bruce flushed beetroot red in his lap, glad when Steve, the only other occupant of the room, decided to pretend not to notice what was going on.

"You could've sat in any chair in this room, why did you have to do that?" Bruce shoved Thor's shoulder good naturedly, not really annoyed at him. After their last battle with the Hulk, after which he'd learnt that the Thunder God had been the only one able to calm him down, he'd felt an unexplainable attachment to the other male. A fondness, of a sort.

"This is my preferred seat. I have claimed it the seat of the mighty Thor. You are the interloper here, friend Banner. But worry not, I am rather enjoying your current position. Are you comfortable?"

Bruce considered this, flushing even as the Captain folded his magazine and left the room, sensing that the two men would prefer to be alone for a while. There may be a few things about the current time zone he didn't understand, but he saw the way his two friends looked at each other. He knew what the beginnings of love looked like.

"I'm comfortable, Thor. Thank you. I'm really comfortable around you."

"Good. I want you to be. I want you to be happy and comfortable with me, Banner. You mean much to me." Thor said softly as he wrapped his arms around the shorter man, pulling him into a tight hug.

Bruce blushed at the show of affection, only to turn scarlet as the Thunder God cupped a hand beneath his chin, pulling him round and into a passionate kiss that shocked him, but invigorated him. He kissed back hastily, a passion coursing through him that he couldn't remember feeling before. His hands coiled in the golden hair of the God, pulling them back together as they started to separate, continuing to explore the mouth of the other until air was desperately needed. He let himself relax back, breathing deep, a wide smile on his face as he slowed his heart, noticing with glee that this passion, this racing fire in his veins that he had denied and feared for so long, hadn't brought forth the Hulk. The two Avengers smiled at each other fondly before engaging in a softer, chaste kiss. As he settled himself in the larger man's arms, their foreheads pressed together, he whispered back the sentiment.

"You mean much to me, too."

* * *

"You know Tony was only joking when he said you had to take me out for our anniversary. I wouldn't have minded staying in with a movie or something, you didn't have to go to all this trouble, especially since you only got back this morning. How's Loki doing? Coming around any more?"

Thor chuckled lightly, smiling fondly at the man he had been courting for the past year. Their relationship had turmoil, like any other, but they had made it work, for which he was glad. "He is doing well, with the mind healers. They say he is making much progress. My mother says he is back to playing tricks on the guards, which pleases her. It is good to see some life back in him again. Thank you, for inquiring after him so often. I know he did not endear himself to you whilst on earth, but he has a good heart. On the other point, of course I would want to bring you somewhere special. I only came to Asgard to visit to ask my fathers permission to bring you here. I could not think of any better place to spend our anniversary than to show you Asgard for the first time. I hope you do not mind?"

Bruce squeezed the Thunder Gods hand, pulling him down for a kiss as they strolled along the rainbow bridge. "Mind? I've always wanted to see Asgard, you know that. And it's...magnificent. Even the way you described it..I never could've imagined...I'm speechless, Thor, really. Thank you."

At this show of gratitude, Thor blushed, strawberry creeping up from his neck to his forehead. He moved a hand to rub at the back of his neck, anxiety beginning to show. He straightened, tightening his resolve. He had been contemplating this for a while, and after consulting his family on the matter, had decided tonight would be the night. He would not back out now.

"Bruce...come, sit with me on the palace steps." He led his partner by the hand, pushing him gently to sit on the shining golden steps. He knelt in front of him, gulping as the scientists eyes widened, his jaw falling open.

"Bruce Banner, you have made me a happier man than ever I was, happier than Jane ever made me. I have found in you a friend, a companion, and a lover I had never dreamt of. If I could I would give you all of Yggdrasil and more. I shall love you forever, with all of my heart. I would be bound to you, if you'll have me. " He pulled from his tunic the wedding band he had ordered to be forged, made of the same shining material as the rainbow bridge, formed in a Celtic knot designs as was traditional on Asgard.

Bruce was stunned, tears forming in his eyes as he lunged for the larger man, tackling him to the ground in a hug, peppering his face with kisses.

"You never feared me. You were never terrified of the monster lurking inside of me. You only loved me, as much as I loved you. You saw me for me, even more than I did. You are one of a kind, Thor Odinson, and you're mine. I'm keeping you. So you'd better bond yourself to me, or I'll _make_ you." He gave a laugh as the Thunder God caught his meaning, beaming brightly as he slide the ring onto his finger. They lay on the rainbow bridge, hands clasped and curled in a loving embrace, not giving a thought to the odd Asgardians who saw them, nor of Frigga, who stood at her balcony, gazing upon them as she wiped the tears from her eyes, her youngest son smiling by her side.

_Thank you_, Bruce thought, eyes closed as joyful tears leaked out from under his eyelids, _Thank you for just seeing me._

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Okay so um i hope they weren't too OOC, i am way more used to writing Loki... so im sorry if they were :/ Reviews please?


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